Can Headaches be Triggered by Hearing Aids?

A distraught senior man sitting on his couch suffering from a headache because his hearing aids were not properly adjusted.

Everybody’s hearing loss situation is unique and hearing aids are manufactured to compensate for those unique conditions. If your hearing aids are giving you headaches or any other type of discomfort, whether you’ve been using them for years or you’re a new user, there’s a solution.

If your hearing aid is adjusted properly it will meet your individual needs and fit in your ear comfortably. If you’re encountering any pain or discomfort you should ensure that your hearing aid is adjusted precisely and that it’s the correct device for you.

Indications your hearing aid needs to an adjustment

If your hearing aids are not properly fitted, they can cause headaches. The reason for this is that they are not being used correctly, or haven’t been adjusted for a long time. If this is the case, the following issues might arise:

  • Feedback noise. Wind and other background sound can be picked up and boosted by your hearing aid, also causing screeching annoying feedback.
  • Insufficient sound quality. Poorly adjusted hearing aids can boost the volume of high intensity sound causing a loud annoying feedback that can harm your ears. And low volume sound can get lost with hearing aids in this condition.
  • Headaches and tinnitus. Hearing aids that are picking up loud sounds and further amplifying them can be painful to your ears and can trigger not only headaches but tinnitus as well. Usually, this means the settings are too loud.

Over-the-counter hearing aids

While over-the-counter hearing aids, generally known as personal sound amplification devices, are available at your local pharmacy, and cost less than prescription hearing aids, they won’t be tailored to meet your specific hearing loss requirements.

Hearing loss is distinct to every person so merely amplifying all sounds won’t be enough to improve your hearing. Typically, specific wavelengths of sound are lost when a person loses their hearing. Hearing aid settings have to be adjusted to allow the individual to be able to hear adequately in different settings.

Professional hearing aid adjustment

One of the most useful ways to make sure your hearing aid is properly fitted is to have your personalized hearing aid fitted and adjusted. We will take molds of your ears and use them to make a custom-fitted hearing aid device just for you. Once the proper fit is obtained, it will be necessary to adjust the hearing aid settings so you can distinguish between unwanted noise and the sounds you want to amplify.

Your hearing aid should also make automated adjustments, which will allow you to hear background noises in a variety of settings without interference. In order to be certain you get the right hearing aids for your personal needs, you might need to come in more than once. If you have severe hearing loss, the adjustments to your hearing aid will be completed in stages so that your brain has time to adjust to louder sounds.

If you think you may be dealing with an out of tune hearing aid, contact us today and make an appointment to have it assessed.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids#hearingaid_08

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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